how to decifer between real hunger and boredom hunger

I was just wondering if any of ya know any tips on telling the difference inreal hunger and mental hunger since surgery. I am 9 days post op and think i actually felt real hunger today. I ate 1/2 c tomato soup and sf creampop for lunch and drank most of a proein shake b4 2. Around 5 I started feeling like I wanted something to eat. Was this real hunger or not? I ate a sf jello cup. Hope that was ok. Maybe for dinner @ about 7 I will just eat 1/4 of something. Does that sound ok to anyone or have I completely messed up? Melissa

Sounds like to me youre doing ok!! :o)  Are you drinking fluids between?? That will help you feel full also.   I'm not sure about you, but it took me a long time (Im 5 1/2 mths out) to figure out that my brain just needed to SHUT UP lol..  Most of my hunger WAS ALWAYS in my brain.  Guess that's what got me to 380lbs huh? lol  With that said, MY doctor and nutritionist told me that we should be eating 6 times a day!! 3 meals 3 snacks.  So from what you said you ate, it sounds just fine!!!  Those snacks and fluids are important!!  Although not easy to always get in for me .   Hope Ive helped!! Good luck!! You sound like you're doing great!! Connie

Yes you have helped and yes I am hoping my head is what got me to 429 , so i feel ur pain too.... I just hadnt felt hungry since surgery. Now mind you I have wanted to eat some things but I think it was all mental as to what my family was eating and knowing i couldnt. That was hard to get over last week. And I know I am still not over it. But its good to know I havent fallen to far from the wagon. I just felt guilty for eating before dinnertime.  Thanks again  Melissa

Hi Melissa -

Remember that we all have different protocols ... unless of course, someone else with your Dr. responds, so take it all with a grain of salt. That said, you may be feeling a combination of head and real hunger. There is a theory that grehlin, a hormone that initiates hunger sensations is interrupted after RNY surgery ... of course, this is not the case with the lapband ... I'm trying to remember which you had ... At any rate, I know that I had 'real hunger' issues earlier than many. Head hunger generally comes on hard and fast. Real hunger usually comes on slowly. Realize that you aren't getting much in the way of caloric content, so there may be a real physical hunger, but you can also deal with it fairly easily because you can satisfy it sooooo quickly with the little, tiny pouch ;-).

It sounds like the amounts that you are consuming are ok. You need to be sure that you are consuming enough protien though, and from what you have listed, it doesn't look like you are. Realize that protien is going to help you stay satietiated much longer than carbs ... ie. the tomato soup.

Don't worry. At any rate, you have not completely messed up. Even if you did, each new meal or for that matter each new bite is an opportunity to make a positive change.

You are doing fine ... just keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Barb

My problem is i never feel hungry and am on soft foods and supposed to be doing 600 to 800 calories at this point.  I am just eating dinner now and only at 466.   One thing you do need to remember is that you are doing all liquids which, i am sure, pass through a heck of a lot faster than food.   Are you keeping a calorie and protein log?  I know when i was on liquids my Nut said i should be at 600 calories.   Sounds like you are well under that!  Do you have any sugar free jello as that is only 10 calories and can also count as a liquid too? Take care, Pam

I have the sugar free jello that is 10 cals. thats what i ate I know I need more proteins. I have not been keeping a log of them and that I know I should. I try to drink a protein drink of 1C skim milk, carnation inst br, with a scoop of spiru-tein(23gms of pro) in the am and then I drink one 16.9 oz bottle water with special k protein drink mix in it. I think it has about  5 gms in it. so I know that is only about 1/2 the 60 but I am having trouble on the full liquids finding things to eat that have protein in them. Anyways thanks for you help and comments. Sometimes I think I have bitten of more than I can chew....so to speak with the surgery but I sure hope sooner or later it gets easier instad of all day thinking about what I can have next and what I cant.  Thanks again Melissa

     I love my tomato soup too. My pouch really loves it! Unjury makes an unflavored protein powder with 20 grams a scoop. I add that to my tomato soup. Can't tell it's in there except it's a little thicker. I also add powdered skim milk to my carton of skim milk to double up the protein content and use that in soups/shakes, etc.      You haven't bitten off more than you can chew. (You're not even allowed to chew yet!) You're doing fine. Mare

Like everything else, it takes time for us to learn and we are not pros overnight.    This forum has been awesome to help with that.  One thing that saved me that my doc allowed me to start using a week after surgery is a 3 ounce protein bullet which as 42 g of protein.   Just google protein bullet and a few web sites come up.  I pay $30 for a case of 12 and use one a day.   I am on soft foods and it seems to even get harder as i fill up so fast.   Hope this helps you and keep asking questions.....that is how we all learn! Good luck....Pam

Pam -

Try splitting your protien bullet into two doses. Your body can only absorb so much protien at a time. If you give it too much protien at one time, your body only uses what it can and flushes the rest. Check with your Nut on this.

Barb

One more thing about a log is try to keep track of liquids also as i always forget what i drank.   Maybe if you increase your protein, you will be less hungry too.   Sorry for rambling!   Pam